United Nations wants Mozambique goat meat recognition

A report from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said many of the world’s poorest countries have unique food products that could make more money if they had GI status.
GI is a standard awarded to products that are uniquely tied to where they are produced, grown or harvested. The mark signifies the product is unique because of where it comes from.

UNCTAD said a number of “irreplaceable products”​, such as Mozambique goat meat, salted mullet roe and volcanic honey from Ethiopia, needed organised commercialisation to help producers get the profits their produce deserved.
 
“Natural, heritage products, if protected and marketed well, could become a bigger source of revenue for many LDCs (least developed countries),”​ UNCTAD trade lawyer Stefano Inama said. “Many of these countries are dangerously dependent on commodity exports and must diversify their economies.”​

The report suggested GI status could help protect the goods and market them more effectively abroad. GIs are part of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, run by the World Trade Organization (WTO).

“LDCs face considerable challenges when implementing GIs because of still precarious institutions and regulatory frameworks,”​ the UNCTAD report claimed. “A number of LDCs have requested UNCTAD to examine the option of using GIs as a tool to enhance trade and reduce poverty.”​